Improvement in distilling and bleaching oils



26 0.1.1. BURCEY.

1 Improvement `in DistillingndBleaching-10H5.

No'. 122,810. Pafemed1an.16,1s72,

"X6/rib? esse.;

UNITED STATES 'PATENT GFFIGE.

CHARLES J. T. BURCEY, OF BLACK ROCK, CONNECTICUT.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 122,810, dated January 16, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, CHARLES J. T. BURCEY, of Black-Rock, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Method of Bleaching Oil, and in Apparatus for that purpose, of which the f'ollowing is a specification:

The accompanying drawing represents a sectiona-l side elevation of the improved apparatus used in my new method, of bleaching oils.

The oil to be bleached is admitted from a reservoir, al, through a tube, a., into the retort b, which issuitably bricked up. The retort may be heated by superheated steam or by fire, in which former case the retort is provided with a double bottom, b2, forming a steam! spaceinto which su perheated steam is admitted through a pipe, b3, which steam passing out through a pipe, a2, which forms a coil in the reservoir al, heats the oil in the reservoir and thus facilitates the heating process in the retort. A stop-cock, a3, serves to regulate the passage of steam through pipe a2. The steam is generated in a boiler, t, and superheated in a superheating furnace, t1, from which it is led through the pipe b3 to the steamspace b1. From this pipe b3 extends a smaller pipe, t2, provided with a stop-cock, ti, to the air-tube heating-chamber i", so that steam may be admitted to said chamber by opening stop-cock t4. On a suitable step, d, in the center of the bottom of the retort, the shaft e has its pivot. This shaft consists of a hollow tube from which extend in opposite directions, and one a little above the other, two agit-ators, f, the lower one being at a sufficient height above the bottom of the retort to allow room for the four curved arms f', extending from the lower end of the shaft parallel with the bottom of the retort, which arms are perforated and hollow, communicating with the interior of the hollow shaft e. The top of the retort b is provided with the usual man-hole g, and at the opposite side from the same with a tube, h, which passes through a condensing-chamber, t', and ends in a vacuum-chamber or reservoir, j, suitably constructed and provided with a stop-cock, k, through which the contents of reservoir j can be withdrawn. A tube, l, extends downwardly from the top of the reservoir j, and is suitably connected to an air-pump, m. The upper end of the hollow shaft is connected to a tube, a,-

by means of an air-tight coupling, o, in such a manner that the shaft is free to revolve without breaking its connection with tube u. Between the coupling 0 'and the top of the retort b the shaft e is provided with a cog-wheel, p, through which motion is imparted to the shaft from suitable gearing, q. 4The tube a passes through a heatin g-chamber, 1, in form of a coil, leaving said chamber at or near the bottom, and ending outside of the same in a funnelshaped mouth, s. The tube a just above the coupling o is provided with a valve, u, by means of which the said tube can be opened or closed. The bleached oil maybe withdrawn through a valve-chamber, t, closed by a valve, w, and connected by means of a tube, x, to a reservoir, y, where the oil is cooled by means of a coil of pipe, z, through which a stream of water is continuously passing'.

The operation of this apparatus is as follows: A suitable quantity of oil having been admitted into thc retort b through pipe a, the same is heated by fire or superheated steam until it reaches a degree of 200, when the oil is agitated by revolving the shaft. The valve rtbeing closed no air can enter the retort through tube n. The air-pump m is then worked, and a vacuumwcreated thereby in reservoir 7', and all the'ii'pure and light matter freed from the agitated oil in its distillation drawn into reservoir j through pipe h, being condensed on its passage through that part of said pipe which passes through the condensing-chamber t'. This operation is continued until the oil is quite -clear and freed from all impurities. If I desire to hasten the operation l use certain well-known chemicals to facilitate the drying,

and when the oil is drawn oif from the retort it will be clear, clean, and dry, or, in other words, fully bleached.

In order to obtain a very fatty oil all the watery parts of which are removed, I vary the process in so far as to heat the oil to 6000, drawing in air (which on its way thro ugh chamber r is thoroughly heated and dried, the u/being opened,) by means of the vacuum created by the air-pump 'm in reservoir j, which heated air passing through tube a, shaft e, and the perforated arms j", percolates through and is thoroughly mixed with the oil, absorbing and carrying oft' With it all watery matter, which passes oft' with other imp urities into reservoir j, and leavin g nothing but a clear, heavy, fatty oil, which after being chemically dried maybe drawn oft' from the retort, being then perfectly bleached.

I obtain another indirect but very important result by the use of this current of hot air and by the vacuum, whether the retort is heated `from a tireplace over which the retort is suitably bricked in, or by superheated steam, as illustrated in the drawing. It is well known that establishments for bleaching oil or purifying it or similar substances, are very oensive by reason of their bad odor, and such establishments must always be located away from any neighborhood. This odor is the result of heating and other treatment of the oil during its purification, all of the gases and impurities evolved being allowed to escape, as they cannot be utilized. By my improved process of decomposing the oil by oxidation by means of the use of a current of hot air and a Vacuum, I separate these gases atonce from the oil, and they may be led to the fire-place and there assist in the combustion, instead of being allowed to escape freely. From the airpump m extends a pipe, m1, in any suitable way to just under the grate m2 of the fire-place m3. In the operation, the air-pump forces the gas, which has entered the reservoir with the impurities separated from the oil in the retort by means ofthe agitation and vacuum, through this pipe m1, under the grate, and this forcible stream or current of gas not only adds combustible matter to the re, but also acts as a fan to the ame, thus creating an intense heat, accelerating the heating of the oil in the retort, and a consequent saving of fuel is attained.

My improved Inode of bleaching oil is accomplished in much less time and at a greatly reduced cost, while it furnishes a much superior oil, especially for use in varnishes or for oil for typographical or lithographical impressions, than heretofore has been produced.

Having described my invention, I claiml. The combina-tion of the air-tube n, heatin g-chamber r, revolving hollow heater-shaft e, heaters f, and hollow perforated arms f in the retort b, all arranged and operating essentially as and for the purpose described.

2. In combination with the above, the tube h, condenser z', reservoir j, tube Z, air-pump m, and gas-conveyin g tube m1, all arranged to operate essentially as and for the purpose described.

3. The method of heating the oil in the reservoir al previous to its admission into the retort b, by means of the superheated steam which has heated the retort and its contents, and which is led to the reservoir al through a pipe, a2, forming a coil in the same, essentially as described.

4C. The combination of the boiler t, superheater t1,pipe b3, steam-space b1, pipe a2, reservoir al, pipe a, retort b, hollow-shaft e, paddles j', hollow perforated ar1nsf,hotair.pipe n, hotair reservoir 1^, tube t2, pipe h, condenser i, reservoir j, tube Z, air-pump m, gas-conveying tube m1, and valve w, all arranged to operate essentially as described.

rlhe above specification of my improvement in mode and apparatus for bleachin g oil, signed this 5th day of October, 1871.

CH. J. T. BURCEY.

Witnesses:

SAM. B. SUMNER, MoRRIs W. SEYMOUR. 

